A Mother's Bond
by Chibi-chan96
Summary: Her dieing wish was to see her baby safe in the arms of people who would love and protect him. An alien outcast seeks the help of the teen titans.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A woman knelt on the ground, haggard and exhausted. She was huddled upon herself, barely clinging to life, but she looked up when they approached and her eyes filled with hope. Starfire rushed to the woman's side.

"You're hurt," she said without preamble, but the woman only had eyes for Robin.

"Are you… are you the Teen Titans?" she asked in a breathless whisper.

Ignoring her question he replied "Who did this to you?"

Raven took the opportunity to lift the woman's heavy cloak from behind and what she saw made her gasp. Three broken arrows were embedded in the woman's back and her entire attire stained with blood, both fresh and dried.

"Is this… is this Jump City?" the woman asked, a desperate note in her voice.

"Yes," Starfire comforted. "This is Jump City and that is our leader, Robin. Here, we need to get you to a doctor to treat your wounds. You have lost a lot of blood and…"

The woman seemed to wilt with relief and tears began to fall freely from her eyes.

"Please… please… my baby… my baby…"

Robin was on one knee in front of her immediately. "What baby? Where is the baby?"

The woman slowly uncurled her body, her arms and cloak separating to reveal a baby sling. With shaking hands she lifted the blanket-wrapped bundle from the carrier, and the infant turned to face them. The onlookers gasped.

`_Oh my god…'_ Raven thought, as the blanket fell away from the baby's head and they got a good look.

It was a baby boy. A mass of unruly raven hair and two huge crystal blue eyes peered out at them from the baby's face.

"Please… save my baby," the woman pleaded, offering the infant.

Robin practically tripped over himself to back away, shock and disbelief written all over his face.

"What?"

Raven moved to accept the infant who was now squirming and whimpering.

"It's okay. We'll keep your baby safe, but please let us take you to a doctor…"

The woman let out a choked sob, then coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed in the road. Raven flinched and clutched the baby to her chest as she backed away.

She was gone. Her last gift to her child was to ensure his safety. Starfire wept quietly for the child's loss.

The baby screamed himself hoarse, proving that there was absolutely nothing wrong with his little lungs. Starfire rocked him and cried along with him, feeling utterly helpless to ease his pain. There was nothing anyone could do for him. His mother was dead, but she had died so that he would live. At one point during his screaming fit, Robin took him and held him, humming softy under his breath a song his own mother had used to comfort him. It worked to lower the din from full screams to gasping whimpers, but only until Robin would stop, then he would scream again, his face almost purple from the effort.

Finally the titans took the wailing baby back to the tower so that he wouldn't continue to disturb everyone within hearing distance. They took turns walking with him and rocking him before sleep began to consume them. Exhausted, Starfire resorted to cooing and singing softly, bouncing him the way she'd seen mothers do, all to no avail. Ultimately, they had no choice but to wait until the baby screamed himself unconscious- which he eventually did, after making sure they would both have hearing troubles for the next several hours.

Deciding it was now safe to move with the restlessly sleeping baby, Robin picked him up form his position on the couch. Every now and then he would whimper and squirm, and they would cringe, expecting him to awaken and start crying again.

"Star, is it ok if he spends the night with you?" He looked down hesitantly at the tameranian. Thanks to a recent growth spurt he was now a few inches taller than her.

"That would be acceptable friend Robin. I would not mind his company."

"Great. I'll just lay him down on your bed. You're gonna need some more pillows though. We'll put a pillow on his other side so that he doesn't roll off the bed and one between the two of you so you don't accidentally roll onto him and crush him." Robin stood back and admired his work. It was the best they could manage under the circumstances so it will have to do.

He gave them an approving glance and left.

Starfire carefully positioned herself next to the sleeping infant and studies his tiny features. She could feel herself becoming more attached to him.

"I will be your mother little one." She whispered, wiping the tear that slid down her cheek. "I understand what it means to lose a mother, to have no one."

_`Poor little lost baby…_' "I wonder what we should call him."

Those were her last thoughts before she slowly drifted to sleep.

Two days later the still nameless baby was starting to associate his new adoptive family with food and safety. His primary caregivers were Robin and Starfire, although Raven sometimes took a turn, she had developed a soft spot for the little bundle of joy.

Until they could figure out what kind of danger his mother was protecting him from, they had no choice but to take the infant in under their care.

He started responding to the sound of their voices, opening his huge eyes and looking their way. He didn't cry much after that first terrible day; mostly he would just whimper and squirm when he was hungry or needed to be changed. Although sometimes he fussed and fretted, but that usually meant he just wanted attention.

Beastboy had taken it upon himself to provide his entertainment, most times at Cyborg's expense. He pulled pranks on everyone and hid with the infant, gleefully watching them unfold.

At night, the baby assumed his place next to Starfire, tucked against her chest. If he moved, she was awake immediately and seeing to his needs- before he sought to see to them himself, as was evidenced by the number of times he'd wormed his way under her night shirt and tried to latch onto a nipple. He'd managed to do it several times, waking Starfire when he began to suck. Poor little baby was so distressed when no milk was forthcoming from a place where he had begun to expect food.

On the fifth day, what was once regarded as a usual occurrence became inconvenient almost dreaded.

"We aren't going to bring the baby, so Starfire you'll have to stay and baby-sit. Titans move out?" Robin didn't wait for a reply, just turn and left.

"Think you can handle him on your own, lil' lady." Cyborg questioned with an encouraging smile.

Starfire blushed and mumble uneasily "I shall have to do my best. I hope you will be victorious in battle friend." He nodded, satisfied at her reply.

On their way through the door Beastboy shot Raven a look. " Think they'll be ok while we're gone."

"Probably not, but I don't think we have much of a choice. Robin's orders."

"Friends! Please do not worrying. I shall keep the child safe."

_Author's Note_

_So I finally finish the story and will probably post a chapter a day depending on the response I get. If I don't get a positive response then I'll most likely scrap the whole that means review people. Tell me what you think whether you like it hate it or just indifferent about it. Reviewers of the first chapter will get a preview of the second._


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes

_**Sorry for the long wait guys. It was due to circumstances beyond my control- internet connection problems. Anyway here it is. Hope you like it. Remember to review. Forgot the disclaimer last chapter so here goes…. I do not own the teen titans.**_

Chapter 2

The shadowy figure shifted under the glare from the computer and was now awkwardly leaning against one side of the chair. She noticed his movement immediately and turned her emerald eyes his way.

"Friend Robin, have you completed the paper work. You will be able to do the hanging out with me now, yes?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not yet Star. Just… my neck is stiff."

She moved behind him, her talented fingers finding the muscle knots and dispatching them with ruthless efficiency.

"Robin you must not allow yourself to become so consumed by work. I will not always be here to pull you away when you do." she scolded gently, rubbing his neck.

'_It's not work that's consuming me. Maybe if you weren't I would be able to get more work done.' _He was becoming a bit bitter. Lately she's been taking over every thought he's had. The cold showers simply weren't enough anymore. Bruce was such a hypocrite telling him not to get involved with anyone then shacking up every female in Gotham.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmm," he groaned, Robin didn't have to look at her to know that he was making blushing. A familiar tightening in his pants told him to stop toying with her. It would cause more trouble than either of them are willing to handle. "I do it so you'll rub my neck just like that."

"Then perhaps I should stop." was all she said, but she didn't stop and he was more than fine with that. Lately their relationship had gotten more playful and if he were to be honest a lot more flirtatious.

After so long together, he knew her pretty well, and her fingers moved unerringly across his skin. She was well familiar with the usual culprits: two lumps on either side of the base of his neck that needed special attention from the pads of her thumbs. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back to his shoulder as he worked on them, relaxing under her tender touch and letting his mind wander.

"You know you did a pretty good job taking care of the baby today."

"You did not think I could do it." It sounded more like a statement than the question she intended it to be.

"Star look, don't do this, you know I have nothing but confidence in your abilities. It's just..."

"You do not think I am capable of taking care of a child." She said finishing his sentence. "Friend Robin, you are not even aware of which alien race the child comes. In my years of training with the Warlords of Okaara before I was captured by the Citadel, I had become well versed in the ways of my peoples numerous allies. I think it is I who should be wary of you!"

"I guess you're right. We'll let you take the lead with the baby from now on. I know you would be a wonderful adopted mother to him."

"K'norfka." She corrected. "So he will be living with us permanently."

"It seems so…. I guess we should name him then." Starfire nodded eagerly in agreement. "Later, before movie night"

"Glorious, I shall leave you so that you may finish your work in silence."

"Oh Star? You think maybe later you can tell be about what happened to you before you came to earth and discuss some things about the baby too." Starfire visible stiffened. Her cheerful demeanor vanished instantly. Robin picked this up instantly. "Only if you want to, okay."

"I wish to do it now. The baby will awaken from his slumber soon." She settled down on the bed and patted the spot next to her indicating he should sit.

"This is very hard for me so please do not interrupt. Do you remember when I told you my given name is Koriand'r, well I neglected to mention that I am also the crown princess of Tamaran." She laughed so humorlessly it was almost sinister. It was the first time he had ever seen her emotionless, so empty.

"My sister, Blackfire, and I developed a bitter rivalry. She suffered a disease at infancy that robbed her of the ability to harness solar energy to allow her to fly, and also by extension, her right to the throne. Since I was next in line I became heir. Our rivalry intensified when we were sent for warrior training with the Warlords of Okaara. All I wanted was the acceptance of my sister but she believed that I had done her an unforgivable wrong by taking a title I never wanted. Komand'r betrayed me and her planet. She supplied detailed information about Tamaran's defenses to our enemies. The Citadel were vicious. They conquered Tamaran with ease, and the surrender conditions included my enslavement. I was never permitted to return, since that would mean the Citadel would devastate the planet for abrogating the treaty. I learned that Komand'r was to be my master. My sister …" she paused. Tears escaped her eyes. "My sister tortured me and allowed others to rape me. I managed to kill one of my rapists and Komand'r decided to execute me as punishment, but fortunately for me and unfortunately for both of us, we were attacked and captured by the Psions." Tears flowed freely from Robins masked as he allowed himself to show the same level of vulnerability that she was displaying. He wasn't sure how much more he could bare listening to her relive and reopen barely healed emotional wound. This was not the bubbly alien beauty he was used to. She had so much to be sad about yet allowed herself to continue living optimistically.

"The Psions were a race of sadistic scientists. They performed a deadly experiment on both of us to see how much energy our bodies could absorb before exploding from the overload. Komand'r's soldiers interrupted the procedure and I broke free using my starbolts." She formed one demonstratively. These were the only good that came from the experimentation. Against my better judgment, I freed Komand'r. She was still absorbing energy. However, my sister was not ready to let go of the past and attacked me. She still had every intention to have me prosecuted. I escaped by stealing a spacecraft to flee to the nearest planet which was your planet and I met you."

"Oh Star, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I wish I had been with you. I-I would have never allowed your sister to treat you that way."

"I would not have wanted you there. She would have done the same thing to you!" She screamed.

The baby screamed from his place on the bed behind them. He screamed like he did the night his mother died, a deafening cry that found their spines and raked down them. Starfire clutched him to her chest and rocked him, trying to calm him as she wept, her face buried in his soft raven hair. He fussed against her, whimpering and whining.

"Shhhh, shhhhh, my bumgorf. It's all right. K'norfka is here. No one will hurt you. I promise. I promise. Do not cry anymore. Do not cry Ryand'r"

"Starfire I didn't mean to upset you I just wanted you to know that I will always be there for you and I would have wanted to be there for you then. I lo- I..err um …you mean more to me than you know. I can never be at ease knowing that you're hurting." He paused for a moment before moving closer to take the whimpering baby form her arms. "What was it that you called him?"

"Ryand'r, it was the name of my brother. He did not survive the attack of the Citadel. I thought we could name him that. It means 'little king', exactly what my brother was to my family. I think this baby also bears a similar resemblance to my bother. He certainly has the love for attention just as much as he had."

"Star lets go join the others in the common room. We can tell them they can stop referring to ryand'r as 'the baby'.


End file.
